In the field of gas turbine engines various parts of a single component may have widely varying operational requirements. Certain materials may be well suited for the operating requirements of one of the various parts, while another material may be better suited for the operating requirements of another. Modular components have therefore been used to tailor the materials used to the varying operational requirements. In this manner more expensive or difficult-to-fabricate materials may be limited to those parts of the component where needed, while less expensive or easier-to-fabricate materials can be used elsewhere. Furthermore, this modular approach to manufacturing a component allows for the replacement of individual modules rather than an entire component to extend service life of the component.
Joining of these components conventionally includes metallurgical joining such as welding and brazing. However, there are many high-temperature turbine materials that are very difficult to weld without cracking. This is less of a problem for braze joints, but braze joints are only as strong as the braze material. Mechanical joining offers advantages when joining dissimilar materials or materials that are difficult to weld. However, there are frequently concerns that mechanical joints may fail during service and liberate hardware into the engine. Consequently, there remains room in the art for improvement.